Magnitude 6.6 earthquake strikes Polynesian islands in South Pacific

A strong magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck in the Pacific Ocean near the Polynesian islands of Wallis and Futuna and Tonga, according to seismologists. No tsunami warnings were issued.

The earthquake occurred at 11:37 a.m. local time on Friday and was centered deep beneath the ocean, at a depth of 195 miles (314 kilometers), according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

The epicenter was located about 110 miles (177 kilometers) southeast of Mata-Utu, the capital of Wallis and Futuna, and roughly 273 miles (440 kilometers) from Apia, Samoa.

“Based on all available data, there is no tsunami threat from this earthquake,” the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said.

According to the USGS’s impact assessment, the likelihood of casualties or economic damage is low. Approximately 12,000 people may have experienced weak shaking.

The earthquake occurred along the highly active Australia-Pacific plate boundary, where the Pacific Plate subducts westward beneath the Australian Plate.

This region, which includes the Kermadec and Tonga trenches, experiences some of the fastest subduction rates on Earth and is known for frequent, powerful earthquakes. Since 1900, dozens of magnitude 7.5+ quakes have struck the area, including events that have generated destructive tsunamis.